"That loss hasn't been felt yet. Seth is still here," he explained. "Maybe he doesn't have the title of head writer anymore, but he's very much staying on as a mentor, and he's very involved. He's doing the job without the title on his door, basically."

Killam went on to say: "Whenever he decides to shift his full focus over to his show, that will be a huge loss. I think that Seth is so funny, so smart, and also very approachable, which isn't always the case for people in positions of authority. I'm glad he's still here.

"It doesn't feel like he's gone yet. Colin [Jost] was helping him out last year as co-head writer, and Rob Klein, who was a writer I worked pretty closely with, is sharing the responsibility of head writer with Colin. The show is already in good hands, and hands that know and care for the show."

He added: "So I don't think that will be the shake-up. The shake-up is that when people turn on their TV on Saturday they're going to see six new faces they've never seen before, and three or four they care deeply about."

Killam was also quizzed on who his all-time favorite Saturday Night Live star is.

"Eddie Murphy was my guy for a long time," he declared. "My first exposure to SNL was his Best Of VHS, and I would watch it over and over again."

The actor continued: "[Eddie] was one of the few people on the show to play with the live elements, and engage with the audience. 'Little Richard Simmons' is a pun in terms of the premise of the sketch, it's not a strong pitch, but he just commands the entire audience in it.

"It's one of the few times you see someone go out in the audience and engage them in that way. That's what's special about the show.

"What you see is happening in that moment. There is no room for corrections. He was always my favorite for that. Also, in a sketch he did, I think 'A Moment in Black History', he flubs the line, and people laugh. He just says, 'Yeah, I messed up. So what! Shut up!'"

Killam will be entering his fourth season on SNL this year.

Tina Fey and Arcade Fire will appear on the season premiere of Saturday Night Live, airing at 11.30pm ET on NBC.